Buckhalter prepares for new season

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) -- Last year, Philadelphia Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter injured his knee on the first day of the team's first minicamp. His workouts for the summer at training camp consisted of running up and down a hill next to the team's locker room.

Now, he's practicing with the team, preparing to become an integral part of the Eagles' rushing attack for the upcoming season.

"I haven't thought about that hill," Buckhalter said. "That's where it all started for me, in my rehab. I haven't looked at the hill and I don't plan on looking at it anytime soon."

After a promising rookie season in 2001, when Buckhalter finished with a team-rookie record 586 yards rushing, the former fourth-round draft pick tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a non-contact drill.

Buckhalter practiced with the team from weeks 10 to 12, but was placed on the physically unable to perform list.

He hasn't played in a game since coming out during the first half with an ankle injury in the Eagles' loss to St. Louis in the NFC Championship Game two years ago.

"It seems like yesterday," Buckhalter said of the NFC Championship game. "It seems like yesterday running up that hill. That's in the past now. Now I'm dwelling on my future. When it gets to the time to the games we're going to play, I plan on being a big part of it."

Duce Staley, Dorsey Levens and Brian Westbrook shared time in the backfield for the Eagles last year, gaining a combined 1,633 yards. Staley had 269 carries for 1,029 yards.

Staley, whose contract runs out after this season, held out of the team's final voluntary minicamp. He is expected to report with the rest of the team Monday night. Buckhalter said he left phone messages for Staley during offseason but they weren't returned.

"I don't want to take anything away from Buck, because Buck's a good football player, but we didn't change anything or it didn't hinder us from doing things," head coach Andy Reid said. "We had confidence in Dorsey and Duce and Brian Westbrook came on and so we were still able to use our backs in different situations."

Levens wasn't re-signed after last season. Buckhalter, as long as he is healthy, is expected to see a lot of time in the backfield this season.

"I think it will be great," he said. "Whenever you add another weapon to an offense that can create big plays and make big plays it only helps your team. I think with the three of us back there we'll be probably the best group of running backs in the NFL."

Buckhalter is looking forward to the full-pad practices that begin Wednesday, when he will play in a contact situation for the first time since his injury.

"That's when I'll really know where my knee is," he said. "As of now, my knee isn't giving me any problems, it feels 100 percent. That will be my biggest step."

Notes: Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for unsigned first-round draft pick DE Jerome McDougle, said there has been some progress in contract talks. "We are working on it and will probably continue for the rest of the day," Rosenhous said Sunday afternoon. He refused to go into specifics. "I'm prepared [for McDougle to sit out] in the event we don't have an agreement but we are trying. We're hopeful of reaching an agreement." On Sunday morning, Reid said there hadn't been further progress. "He isn't here and there has been no further progress. We'll just leave it at that." ... Rookies, free agents and selected veterans practice once Monday, before the full team reports for a team meeting Monday night with practice starting Wednesday.

 

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